A Blog from Rockport Baptist Church as we seek to bring a biblical perspective to just about everything in our pursuit of living daily Soli Deo Gloria.

Rockport Sermon

Thursday, February 26, 2009

A Narrative of Surprising Conversions?

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing ofregeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

I can’t think of more joyful words a person can say than to cry out with great conviction, “He saved us!” unless it is to declare more personally, and with deep gratitude, “He saved me!” (Psalm 116:6). Is that your own confident declaration? That the great saving God of the Bible has indeed saved you?...rescued you from your sin?...and set you free to serve Him? How I pray that it is – or if not, how I desire before God that it soon will be!

There’s a lot of religion going around, but we’re not that interested in religion. There’s a lot of things to pray about these days, but we’re not too concerned about prayer for it’s own sake. What we’re excited to see is that God seems to be up to something here lately– drawing people to Himself! Just this week I know of at least three persons who have been part of our congregation who have been brought under conviction and concern for the state of their souls, and then found the grace of God to rest their hope securely in Jesus by faith alone to find an assurance of His salvation. In addition to that, I know of several others who, over the last year have been found by Christ -- even when they were not looking for Him -- and drawn by His mysterious providence to come and be a part of this church. Several are going to be baptized here in the next few weeks. All have clear, vibrant testimonies about the kindness and grace of God that has drawn them in. Could this be just the beginning? Oh how I pray that it is!

In 1737 Jonathan Edwards wrote a pamphlet telling of the sudden and surprising number of conversions God had brought to His Northampton Church (A Narrative of Surprising Conversions). It began, not because Edwards came up with a new and marketable plan, but because God, for His own Sovereign purposes, decided to show up in a special way and empower the ordinary preaching of the Gospel and the praying of God’s people to an extraordinary extent. You see, that’s what revival is – God’s extraordinary use of ordinary means to bring about His saving purposes to an extraordinary degree! And so while I am not yet ready to say that we are experiencing revival– far from it – I am hopeful that God will be pleased to use our small efforts to bring great praise to His glorious Name! So keep praying church! Keep trusting! Keep believing and sharing God’s Gospel, and we will see His glory.